The Foggy Dew lyrics
The Wolfe Tones 🎸As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I
Their Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by
No pipes did hum, no battle drum did sound its dread tattoo
But the Angelus Bell o'er the Liffey's swell rang out through the foggy dew
Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew
Oh the night fell black, and the rifles' crack made perfidious Albion reel
In the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame did shine o'er the lines of steel
By each shining blade a prayer was said, that to Ireland her sons be true
But when morning broke, still the war flag shook out its folds in the foggy dew
'Twas England bade our Wild Geese go, that "small nations might be free"
But their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves on the fringe of the great North Sea
Oh, had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha
Their graves we will keep where the Fenians sleep, 'neath the shroud of the foggy dew
Oh the bravest fell, and the Requiem bell rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the spring time of the year
While the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few,
Who bore the fight that the freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew
As back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall see more
But to and fro in my dreams I go and I kneel and pray for you,
For slavery fled, O glorious dead, When you fell in the foggy dew.
The Foggy Dew by Sinead O'Connor & The Chieftains
This version doesn't include all the original lyrics, and you will find some lyrics are slightly altered, which often happens with older songs in order to reflect modern times. This version only includes verses 1, 2, and 5 of the original song
As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I
Their Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by
No pipe did hum, no battle drum did sound it's loud tatoo
But the Angelus Bells o'er the Liffey swells rang out in the foggy dew
Right proudly high in Dublin Town hung they out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew
The bravest fell, and the Requiem bell rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the springing of the year
While the world did gaze, with deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few,
Who bore the fight, the freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew
Song Details
Music: Traditional arrangement by Paddy Maloney
Lyricist: Canon Charles O'Neill (1919) - parish priest from Kilco, and later Newcastle in County Down... read more at Wikipedia
Brief: The song is about the Easter Rising of 1916. At the time many Irishmen were fighting for the British during World War I. The song reflects the thoughts of many Irish nationalists who believed that Irishmen should have stayed home and fought for Irish Independence (from British rule), rather than fighting for Britain.
Glossary:
Angelus Bell - the sound of a bell rung in Roman Catholic churches to announce the time when the Angelus should be recited.
Angelus - a series of prayers recited in the morning, at midday, and in the evening, commemorating the Annunciation and Incarnation.
Liffey - refers to the River Liffey in Dublin.
Suvla - a bay on the Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros.
Sud-El-Bar (Sedd el Bahr) - a village located at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey.
Royal Meath - a county in Ireland (Meath) - it is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Mid-East Region.
Cathal Brugha - an Irish revolutionary and politician, active in the Easter Rising, Irish War of Independence, and the Irish Civil War.
Fenian - Irish Catholic
Genre: Irish Ballad / Irish Rebel Song
Covers by Irish Artists: The Wolfe Tones (featured), Luke Kelly, The Dubliners, Damien Dempsey, The Young Dubliners, The Irish Brigade, Sinéad O’Connor with The Chieftains (featured).
Album - The Wolf Tones: 25th Anniversary (1989 - IE - 2Ă—CD).
Album - Sinead O'Connor & The Chieftans: The Spirit Of Ireland (2013 - US - Compilation Album - Various Artists).
The Foggy Dew Chords by The Wolfe Tones
Key: DmTime Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 112 bpm (♩)
The song key is highlighted. Transpose to any other key.
Intro: 4/4 [....] [Dm] [C] [Dm] - [Gm] [Dm]
1. As [Dm]down the glen one [C]Easter morn to a [Dm]city [Gm]fair rode [Dm]I
Their [Dm]Armed lines of [C]marching men in [Dm]squadrons [Gm]passed me [Dm]by
No [F]pipes did hum, no [Gm]battle [F]drum did [Dm]sound its [Dm]loud ta-[Dm]too
But the [Dm]Angelus Bell o'er the [C]Liffey's swell rang [Dm]out in the [Gm]foggy [Dm]dew
2. Right [Dm]proudly high over [C]Dublin Town they [Dm]flung out the [Gm]flag of [Dm]war
'Twas [Dm]better to die 'neath an [C]Irish sky than at [Dm]Suvla or [Gm]Sud-El-[Dm]Bar
And [f]from the plains of [Gm]Royal [F]Meath strong [Dm]men came [C]hurrying [Dm]through
While [Dm]Britannia's Huns, with their [C]long range guns sailed [Dm]in through the [Gm]foggy [Dm]dew
[Dm] [C] [Dm] - [Gm] [Dm]
3. 'Twas [Dm]England bade our [C]Wild Geese go, that "small [Dm]nations [Gm]might be [Dm]free"
But their [Dm]lonely graves are by [C]Suvla's waves on the [Dm]fringe of the [Gm]great North [Dm]Sea
Oh, [F]had they died by [Gm]Pearse's [F]side or [Dm]fought with [C]Cathal [Dm]Brugha
Their [Dm]names we will keep where the [C]Fenians sleep, 'neath the [Dm]shroud of the [Gm]foggy [Dm]dew
4. Oh the [Dm]bravest fell, and the [C]Requiem bell rang [Dm]mournful-[Gm]ly and [Dm]clear
For [Dm]those who died that [C]Eastertide in the [Dm]spring time [Gm]of the [Dm]year
While the [F]world did gaze, in [Gm]deep a-[F]maze, at those [Dm]fearless [C]men, but [Dm]few,
Who [Dm]bore the fight that the [C]freedom's light might [Dm]shine through the [Gm]foggy [Dm]dew
[Dm] [C] [Dm] - [Gm] [Dm]
5. As [Dm]back through the glen I [C]rode again and my [Dm]heart with [Gm]grief was [Dm]sore
For I [Dm]parted then with [C]valiant men that I'll [Dm]never [gm]see [Dm]more
But [F]to and fro in my [Gm]dreams I [F]go and I [Dm]kneel and [C]pray for [Dm]you,
For [Dm]slavery fled, O [C]glorious dead, When you [Dm]fell in the [Gm]foggy [Dm]dew.
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